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Will gorging over Thanksgiving weekend cause you to gain fat?

November 24, 2017

It is not a stretch to assume the majority of people who participated in this year’s Thanksgiving dining experience ate more than average during their idle conversations among various distant family members and close friends. Regardless if any of those stagnant conversations resulted in arguments or new bonds, most will at least have this one thing in common, they ate too much. In an article from examine.com, “When you binge on Thanksgiving, what happens inside your body,” they calculated that the typical calorie intake on Thanksgiving is about 1,000 calories more than an average day. Fortunately for us, the studies reviewed in the article concluded that this short-term overeating does not necessarily result in fat gain, but merely a slight weight gain. Various factors can cause weight gain like excess water or the frequency of bathroom trips. To give you an example, “the average morning pee weighs half a pound. The average poop weighs a third of a pound.” What type of food you eat also plays a role in holiday weight gain. Studies showed that over eating on proteins will cause less fat storage than over eating fats or over consuming alcohol. Lifestyle will play an important role as well. Are you moving from chair-to-couch-to-bathroom-to-chair watching TV or are taking a walk around the block or playing a family game of touch football?

For me, slight weight gain isn’t an issue and I think it’s good to lounge around at times. We have enough stress in our lives already. However, overfeeding can also affect your gut bacteria. “Over 90% of your serotonin is in your gut, and gut serotonin plays a role in regulating body weight.” This is more of a concern for repeat over feeders and probably shouldn’t worry if it’s only a holiday binge.

Overall, the studies in the article show that you do not need to agonize over your holiday meals, but rather focus on your overall eating habits and lifestyle. If anything, the studies may give you that confidence to go ahead and eat what you want, so indulge (on occasion). Christmas isn’t too far away to put on another impressive display of eating ability, but let’s all keep up a regular workout routine and good eating habits until then.

What are your thoughts? Please leave a comment below. Also, visit www.salusupdate.com for the latest health headlines from around the world.